The mayor of Ancient Olympia, Efthymios Kotzias, was released on a 50,000-euro bail payment on Wednesday after defending himself before a magistrate in Pyrgos, in the western Peloponnese, on charges of harming the environment.

Kotzias was arrested on Tuesday following reports that two municipal garbage dumpsters disposed of trash on the banks of the River Alfeios.

On leaving the court on Wednesday, the mayor did not deny the charges but claimed to have “undertaken all the responsibility and burden.”